when should you remove the mouse guard ?

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Andrewdale

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Hi there, when do you guys remove your mouse guards ?

also has anyone come across the new beekeeping online auction website ? are they any good ?

Thanks
 
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Hi there, when do you guys remove your mouse guards ?

also has anyone come across the new beekeeping online auction website ? are they any good ?

Thanks

Hi Andrew,
Not yet anyway. Aware of one mouse incident at the beginning of Feb. Not until it is warm enough for the bees to have stopped clustering and for the mice to have other shelter and food sources - weather dependent in other words.
To me auction=stolen goods. Bagsy a case in point (probably not a good one). Also, of course, you buy as is so you don't have any recourse.
 
...
also has anyone come across the new beekeeping online auction website ? are they any good ?

While Beeno may be being a bit harsh on auction vendors, I'd suggest that new beeks should not be thinking of buying used goods at auction.

If a newbee is buying used kit, it should ONLY be from a known, reputable source and ideally one that is able to provide some after-sales support (if not, death is the only legitimate excuse!)

"Not quite standard" kit is the curse of newbees.
And generally, beeks only get rid of stuff when it is absolutely, utterly and completely without any potential use to them.

Better to start with kit that isn't going to create puzzles of its own.
Bees provide enough.
If carpentry (even flat-pack assembly) isn't your thing, do consider a modern foam-plastic hive. Cheap, instant and the bees are very happy in them.

Once you know what you are doing, by all means hunt for the occasional bargain amongst the junk - though its better to do that physically than virtually.
Until then, remember that when the hammer goes down, everybody except the buyer thinks it sold for too much!
 
Hi there, when do you guys remove your mouse guards ?


Thanks

For me it'll be at least three weeks away and may be later. Depends on the weather, when the bees are unlikely to cluster again and the numbers are well up.

Don't be in any hurry to do this, mice can be very destructive if allowed in.
Cazza
 
Not now see pic taken today.
 
Did you forget your mouseguard then or just remove it too early?
 
nope it was on when i moved the hive to the new site last week, it was on the floor when i went up today. not sure what had happened but the mouse is dead which is a good thing, cant do any more damage and mouse guard back on until warm enough to remove floor to clean up.
 
With the current weather forecast, my poly hive has its guard coming off during the day tomorrow and Tuesday.
Being in the garden, its easy to replace it in the late afternoon. And that's what I'll be doing.

To guard the Pains Poly 14x12, I made an 8mm high reduced entrance and then gave it a 'fence' of frame nails, so Mickey couldn't squeeze through.
Seems to have worked well, but in the brief sunny spell here today, they were having to queue up to get back in. With warmer weather forecast, I'll make 2-way traffic a bit easier in the daytime.
 
Itma, I would not be keen to reduce entrances yet. There will be many more older bees dying soon and you don't want them blocking up the entrance. I also would not be keen to have mouse guards on and off - with wood or poly you end up with holes from the pins. Won't you end up with lots of holes?
 
Not now see pic taken today.

Fry it up in a pan with a bit of garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary. Mmmm

iyj7o2.jpg
 
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Fry it up in a pan with a bit of garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary. Mmmm

iyj7o2.jpg

Sounds lovely. Not. :puke: and thats just the hillbilly overalls.
 
Itma, I would not be keen to reduce entrances yet. There will be many more older bees dying soon and you don't want them blocking up the entrance. I also would not be keen to have mouse guards on and off - with wood or poly you end up with holes from the pins. Won't you end up with lots of holes?

I think you may be misunderstanding.

My cedar hives have T's metal guards in front of unrestricted entrances.
They are staying that way for a while yet.

However the Pains Poly can't use that type of guard because the hive front isn't flat.
Which is why it has overwintered (happily, so it seems) with a home-made mouseguard - a specially-made restrictor block with a nail 'fence'.
Its not attached with pins!
Specifically because of the expected heavy traffic (including clearing out the dead) I'm going to remove the excessive restriction during the day, during this coming warm spell.
Today (about 6c and occasional strong sun) there was much more traffic on the poly - so much that there a queue forming.
I don't want a bigger scrum there when it warms up properly.
With 12c & sunshine forecast for Tuesday, I'm planning my first quick look at the frames of this year. And I suspect the bees will be enjoying their first mass outing ...
 
Hi there, when do you guys remove your mouse guards ?

also has anyone come across the new beekeeping online auction website ? are they any good ?

Thanks
Hi thanks all, I am thinking I might remove mouse card next weekend as weather is going to be cold this weekend and don't want any mice trying their luck.

I have decided to bid on a Nuc - so wish me luck it's only at 56.00 at the moment so worth a punt.
 

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